There are hippies on the quad. The Whole Earth Festival has come to Davis once again. One weekend every spring, hippies bring tents and camp on the quad, selling hemp clothing and homespun knick-knacks by day and partying at night. What isn't completely clear to me is how selling stuff to college students has anything to do with the earth. But what does have to do with the earth is this:

Strawberries are coming into season. This is truly a wonderful time of year. In winter, we need all kinds of holidays to keep our spirits up. Big feasts with heavy food are all we have to distract us from the awful weather and short days. In the spring, all we need to celebrate is sunshine and the good things it brings us. Biking to class is a treat on a warm, flower-scented spring day.

Now, chocolate covered strawberries look much prettier than these ganache-filled strawberries. Chocolate covered strawberries don't look like they've been filled with, well, dog doo. But if you're concerned about appearances, you can always save the tops and put them back on after you've filled the strawberries. In any case, the creamy, silky intensity of the ganache paired with juicy, mouthwatering strawberries is not something you should pass up.

To make ganache, heat the chocolate chips in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir the chips to melt them completely. Allow the chocolate to cool before whisking in the whipped cream. Whisk until the cream is incorporated into the chocolate. Chill the ganache for at least an hour, until it is stiff but not hard. Spoon or pipe about a teaspoon of ganache into each berry. Serve berries immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to several hours.